With his life collapsing around his ears – his divorce recent and raw, and facing financial ruin – Oliver has to sell his house to pay crippling business debts. He finds, to his amazement, he has inherited from his alcoholic father, a house in the hitherto unheard of, Plum Bay.Where the hell is Plum Bay? And why did old Bill have a house there? Before he knows it, Oliver finds himself forging a new life in the isolated, windswept south coast hamlet. He meets the mysterious Ruby and unearths some remarkable facts about his late father…and himself.
Geoff Morgan was born and raised in Western Australia, where he still lives with his wife, Margaret, and two neurotic cats in the City of Fremantle. Children, Rebecca and Dylan, have long since flown the coop! The House at Plum Bay is his first full-length publication, but he has long been the lyric writer in a song-writing partnership with Margaret.
A second novel, Amy Hill, is nearing completion.
For more about the author, please visit www.geoffmorgan.com.au
Customer
Reviews
2 reviews
-
The House at Plum Bay by Geoff Morgan
‘The House at Plum Bay’ is an enjoyable read told in a first person narrative style. We meet Oliver Mc Kendrick, the main character, in the opening paragraph on a ‘golden sun and cornflower blue sky’ day. But all is not well in his world as he squares his shoulders in an age old Aussie battler tradition taking him and us on a journey. We hop in his butcher van and wander happily along with him to a simple and small West Australian seaside town as he tries to pick up the pieces of his life and attempts to turn it around.
The writer paints a picture of a simple, straightforward man. He is an enterprising soul, a do it yourselfer and an ideas man who shares freely with us his passion for wine and food and his burgeoning relationship with a local artist /singer and their ‘afternoon delights’. His language is simple and direct embracing the odd swear word. His images are often home-grown clichés and he peppers his story with exclamation marks. Not one to hold back, he is a free and easy raconteur who enjoys life and people.
His is a story simply told but he is an engaging character that you feel you might know or enjoy getting to know. He is quick to offer neighbours and friends a Shiraz and a meal to share and to the reader he leaves you some recipes to try for yourself.
We hope things will work out well for him and to quote Oliver-“Bloody Hell -Bugger” if it doesn’t.
‘The House at Plum Bay’ is an easy and quick read dealing with the everyday concerns of a regular guy – a ‘bloke lit’ genre. Geoff Morgan has created a likeable main character and an engaging story that is driven along with a natural dialogue, and a plot that holds your interest and delivers a surprise and satisfying ending. We enjoy visiting the town of Plum Bay and its West Australian setting. The writer captures realness and ordinariness that as with reality television is accessible and one that many people enjoy and relate to.
Go on- give it a read and see if Ol and Plum Bay charm you too, with their openness, friendliness and down to earth approach to life.
-
I enjoyed reading this book.
From page 1 we are introduced to Ol(iver) McKendrick, a butcher down on his luck and taken with him on a journey from despair to redemption. From Fremantle down to the hitherto unknown (to Ol ) town of Plum Bay where he, virtually by accident, makes a new life for himself.
An engaging, easy going bloke with a new found zest for life. We share Ol's journey of discovery, enjoying his friendliness, hospitality, drive and good luck. The village of Plum Bay is well described and inviting. Having spent some time myself in the south west Corner of West Australia I have encountered similar towns and would liked to have visited this fictional town.
The characters are various and well described with the author bringing life to them with 'real' dialogue and interactions. Again, I would like to meet them and feel I would enjoy their company!
Food and drink are a feature of Ol's life and help drive the plot. Indeed we are treated to recipes throughout and I look forward to Ol's ‘Meatlovers Cookbook’ being published!
An enjoyable read and I await more stories from this author.
Write a Review
Discover